


Growing Pains

by typeos



Category: POKÉMON Detective Pikachu (2019)
Genre: Family, harry tries to be a dad, its something, learning how to be family, tim tries to be a son
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-16
Updated: 2019-05-16
Packaged: 2020-03-06 12:38:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,598
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18851233
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/typeos/pseuds/typeos
Summary: So it turns out, foiling some evil rich guy's master plan of merging every human with their partner pokemon while trying to figure what happened to your dead but not really father's pokemon partner doesn't erase years of familial estrangement.





	1. it's a start

So it turns out, foiling some evil rich guy's master plan of merging every human with their partner pokemon while trying to figure what happened to your dead but not really father's pokemon partner doesn't erase years of familial estrangement.

Not that Tim thought it was even in the realm of possibility, but an underpaid intern sure could hope.

"Sorry again about the…" Harry ,his dad, says, sentence trailing as he gestures to his faithful recreation of Tim's childhood room. Pikachu, currently perched on top of Harry’s shoulder gives a chirp in protest, and okay how weird was it that Tim found it weird that he couldn't understand him? What even? 

“We- I mean you could change things up if you want.” Harry interrupts Tim’s train of thought before he can even begin to spiral.” Make things a bit more age appropriate.”

Tim had been too busy trying to deal with having to say goodbye to properly absorb the emotional overload at the discovery, but now, sitting on his old childhood bed while staring at his previously pikachu father, hovering by the door?

Complex familial issues say _whaat?_

"Oh nah, It's cool. That can wait." Tim says instead, making sure his voice doesn't catch, because deflecting was always easier. " Besides Its…nice, feels like home already. The posters are a nice touch."

He pats his mattress for emphasis, tries not to notice how his dad stands a little bit straighter at the mention of home.

"Anyway I still need to sort some things out, get some stuff brought over." Tim scratches a spot behind his ear, while he doesn't regret his decision there are certain consequences to suddenly deciding to relocate and pursue a career in detective work.

Jack was definitely gonna get a kick out of this development, his boss on the other hand...

"Well, let me know if you need any help." his dad says "I'll just be in the kitchen, sorting out some things of my own. Who knew coming back from the dead involved so much paperwork? Not that I actually _died_ \- but you know."

His father laughs, a wry smiles on his face and even while Tim wonders what it says about their relationship that this was easier when his father was a talking Pikachu with amnesia, he can't help but smile back.

"Well, I guess we can help each other out then." Tim offers, standing up to follow. " Only this time…can we maybe not have paper lying all over the place?"

His dad at least has the decency to look a little chagrined, but Tim doesn't miss the fact that he promises no such thing. Instead, He places an arm on Tim’s shoulder as he leads him straight to the coffee maker.

Surprisingly, Tim finds he doesn’t mind.


	2. tension with a side of dumplings

Paperwork or whatever, doesn't turn out to be any easier.

Tim, growing up the way he did, was a practical sort of person. There was a cold kind comfort in lists, in organization and rules. You could depend on lists to keep things neat.

When Tim decided not to get on the train out of Ryme city he wasn't thinking about anything like that at all. His mind had been firmly occupied by his weird family situation.

The weird awkward pauses? Considered. The fact that while he couldn't quite meet his father's eyes? Mulled over.  
He'd gone over almost everything on his 'Learning To Have A Father Again' checklist.

What he forgot to consider however, were the more mundane aspects of living with another person. Which, okay, so he should have thought about that first but after all the things he did in the time frame of an entire weekend? Cut him some slack!

He met Mew freaking two for crying out loud how was he gonna consider things like Harry's unwillingness to let him pay rent after that?

So here they are, in his Father's, soon to be his, kitchen table. Seated on opposite ends, with coffee and papers between them. Pikachu taking a nap on the sofa, oblivious to the argument brewing.

"Look ,Harry." Tim starts, unable to keep the annoyance from his voice. " It's fine, I have some savings stored away, I can pay rent.

"Tim, really it's fine." Harry retorts, and man that was still throwing him of, talking with his dad like this. " Don't worry about it, you just focus on getting into the academy, learning the ropes. Figure stuff out, find yourself or whatever."

Okay, Tim gets it, he does! Tim gets why Harry won't let him pay rent, He gets why Harry is so excited about the idea of Tim getting into detective work, why he won't stop looking at him in that weird, awkward but accepting way.

But Tim can't deny the whispers of annoyance he feels at the idea. He's grown up without the presence of his father, it's not something he can accept so easily.

Tim runs a hand through his hair, trying to ease the tension he feels.

"I don't want to argue about this." He sighs, because he really, truly, wants to give this whole 'father-son' thing a go. " I'm not a _child_ , let me pay rent."

Tim thinks he's being reasonable but then he meets Harry's eyes and can't get the image of a Pikachu staring down Charizard out of his mind.

"Tim." Harry says and was that a dad voice? when did he learn how to do a dad voice? " I know you aren't a kid anymore but you're still my child, and I'm not letting you, that's that. My house my rules."

And it would be so easy to say something snide, to retaliate with a 'since when?' but Grams wouldn't forgive him if she knew, even if he really really wanted to.

Harry's expecting it though, Tim can see it in the way stands stiff in his chair, arms crossed and that unflinching stare still in place. 

So Tim breaks eye contact first.

"Okay." he agrees with a shrug of his shoulders, and goes back to the checklist he was in the middle of making before the whole rent thing came up "Fine."

"Hm." His dad mutters, going back to his set of papers. "That went _easier_ than I expected."

Tim wants to snort at that but doesn't, just let's Harry think he won this round.

Harry Goodman was as stubborn as a Taurus, but so was Tim.

~  
He meets up with Lucy the next day because he's only been here for like, a week and understandably doesn't have much of a social circle at the moment.

Lucy however, he already considers a good friend. You don't solve a mystery involving a secret lab and illegal experiments without at least becoming buddies. 

Also, the fact that she straight up accepted that Tim's father and Pikachu were one and the same for all intents and purposes without too many questions was nice.

Not that there weren't any of course, she was Ryme City's best journalist.

Tim's grateful that Lucy even takes the time to meet up with him at the Hi-Hat Cafe, which is quickly turning into their reg hang out space.

"You know." Lucy starts after she takes a generous sip of coffee, " He's gonna find out. He's a detective, it's his whole deal."

Tim shrugs, " I'm being careful."

"Oh, really?" Lucy snorts. " Trying to sneak cash into your father's pockets is you being careful?'

"Hey!" Tim tries not to feel embarrassed. "If he didn't want me doing that he should have just let me pay."

Lucy raises a brow at that, heck even Psyduck gives him a look, and a put upon sigh.

"I'm just saying," Lucy replies, tone placating " Howard Clifford hired your Dad for a reason."

Tim knows it sounds childish and silly, but Lucy Stevens was raised by two supportive and by all accounts wonderful parents.

Tim might as well have Daddy Issues tattooed unto his forehead.

"Look, just forget it." He says, trying to shoo her logic with a wave of a hand," I'll deal with it when I have to, Besides I read your report on the whole Clifford Mewtwo deal, nice."

Lucy, bless her, let's him change the topic and soon things turn towards lighter fair, work, Tim's future into the Academy and the like.

The Detective and The Journalist, they joke around, just like a movie.

It's nice Tim thinks, talking to a friend like this, It's nice having something to actually work towards to.

So heads back to the apartment in an a better mood, a takeout bag of dumplings fresh from the food cart.

So understandably, he's caught absolutely off guard when he turns on the lights and walks into the sight Harry, with Pikachu on his lap, sitting ominously on the sofa in the previously freaking dark room.

"Oh Fu-" Tim manages to catch himself, and his dumplings. " I almost dropped my dumplings, what the hell?"

"Hey kid." His dad says, uncaring about the state of the delicious dumplings. " Please, have a seat. We got some things we need to talk about."

Tim blinks.

"You…" he squints at the seated detective, ignores the stern command, " Already?? You can't know already?? I just-"

Harry waves a number of rolled up bills in the air, bills that Tim had apparently not so secretly stashed away around Harry's belongings.

"Nice try kid." Harry says, Pikachu hopping off of his lap to greet Tim, totally uncaring about the tense air already forming in the room. " but I'm a world class detective, takes a little more than that to fool me."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> things are gonna get tough before they get any better, but they will get better i promise,

**Author's Note:**

> guess who caught feelings....it was me


End file.
